3
EASTERN COURIER, JANUARY 14, 2011
NEWS
THIS SATURDAY (and every Saturday)
6PM -- MIDNIGHT
200 Amazing stalls • Food, Fashion, Fun
50 Authentic food stalls, cooking up tasty "street snacks"
and delicacies from around the world
Free live entertainment.
(All weather fully undercover) Phone 09 576 5223 or 027 689 9520
www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz
TM Kitchen
Tel: 272 8252 Fax: 272 8661
EMAIL: tangming@tangming.co.nz
9 Barmac Place, East Tamaki www.tangming.co.nz
Showroom Open Hours: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat 10.30am-3.30pm
WHERE
GREAT KITCHENS
ALWAYS COST LESS!
KITCHEN
VANITY
LAUNDRY
WARDROBES
3387470AA
Hero of the community
Prestigious honour: Kit Wong was awarded a Queen's Service Medal.
Photo: NICOLA WILLIAMS
By NICOLA WILLIAMS
'
I have been in real estate
and property management
but they can't give me the
satisfaction of working for
the community.
'
Kit Wong
KIT WONG'S reward for
years of service comes in the
satisfaction he gets from
helping others.
The New Year honours
recipient says he is
humbled'' to be awarded a
Queen's Service Medal for
service to business and the
community.
It's exciting that my
efforts were recognised and I
was overwhelmed by all the
congratulations messages I
received,'' he says.
Mr Wong was instrumental
in forming the Somerville
Multicultural Business Cen-
tre in Howick in 1992 to help
migrants establish busi-
nesses.
He has been involved in
starting a number of com-
munity organisations includ-
ing the Rotary Club of
Somerville, the City of Manu-
kau Education Trust and the
South Manukau Education
Trust.
Mr Wong is also involved in
the Chinese New Settler
Trust and the Asian Com-
munity Advisory Group for
Manukau Institute of Tech-
nology and is a senior mem-
ber of the Property Institute
of New Zealand.
In 2008 he was inducted
into the Manukau City Coun-
cil Hall of Fame.
He says family support has
enabled him to get involved
with so many organisations.
I need to thank my wife,
she always laughs that my
main job is my community
work not my business,'' Mr
Wong says.
He became passionate
about helping migrants after
finding little practical assist-
ance was available when he
moved here from Hong Kong
in 1987.
Money is not my main
objective, I try to live a mean-
ingful life, to help people and
promote better cultural
understanding,'' he says.
I have tried to create har-
monious community relations
between the new migrants
and the community.
I have been a member of
the Manukau City Council
economic steering committee
for about five years.''
Mr Wong says he can't put
a price on the value of
volunteering. I have been in
real estate and property man-
agement but they can't give
me the satisfaction of work-
ing for the community.
The Chinese New Settler
Trust now has eight centres
in Auckland and every week
we have cultural classes and
activities for elderly people.
Some of the local kiwis are
learning Chinese as well so
we feel good that we can
proudly show them the cul-
ture.''
He is proud of his contri-
bution as trust chairman.
I could use my experience
and knowledge to fully utilise
the resources.''
Mr Wong will receive his
medal in Wellington in April.
It will be quite humbling
and I will be very proud to
wear it, but there are a lot of
other unsung heroes in the
community as well.''
Medal recipient focuses on
community-minded business
New Year honour: Founding
member and Greater East
Tamaki Business Association
chairwoman Elspeth Mount is a
Queen's Service Medal
recipient in the New Year
honours. Photo: KRISTINA RAPLEY
By KRISTINA RAPLEY
'
When I first got the
letter I didn't quite realise
the enormity of it -- I
thought why me? After the
initial shock I just thought
how absolutely marvellous.
It's a huge honour.
'
-- Elspeth Mount
Business and community are
two important words in
Elspeth Mount's vocabulary.
She was awarded a
Queen's Service Medal in the
New Year honours for her
involvement in the Greater
East Tamaki Business
Association.
The St Heliers resident
says she's only just coming
to terms with it all now.
When I first got the letter
I didn't quite realise the
enormity of it -- I thought
why me?
After the initial shock I
just thought how absolutely
marvellous. It's a huge
honour.''
Mrs Mount has a back-
ground in teaching and busi-
ness and was one of the
founding members of the
association in 1994 represen-
ting Manukau Institute of
Technology where she
worked in business develop-
ment.
She has chaired the
association for several years
after serving on the execu-
tive committee.
East Tamaki is one of the
fastest growing commercial
industrial areas in Auck-
land.
The association operated
as a voluntary subscription-
based organisation for 15
years and became a Busi-
ness Improvement District
in 2009, meaning every busi-
ness and property owner in
the area has automatic
membership.
It provides a business
directory, business re-
sources, and news and advo-
cacy to about 1800 compan-
ies.The association also works
alongside police and the
Ministry of Justice to pre-
vent crime. There has been a
50 percent reduction in busi-
ness burglaries since its
crime prevention pro-
gramme started in 2006.
People don't think busi-
nesses are community-
minded, but they are very
much so,'' Mrs Mount says.
We have both big and
small businesses here and
they have all given their
time and energy, and are
prepared to give generously
to help build a better com-
munity.
This is an award for a
community really, a tremen-
dous community.''